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Israel protects two rare fish species in Mediterranean

Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel published a law amendment to protect the Goldblotch grouper fish and the dusky groupers, but marine life lovers say the measures are not enough to ensure the recovery of these species.
Marine life at a coral reef in the Red Sea waters off the coast of the southern port city of Eilat, Israel, Feb. 10, 2021.

Animal and marine life lovers welcomed last week a decision by Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel concerning two rare fish species in the Mediterranean Sea. On April 12, Gamliel signed an amendment to the law permanently adding the Goldblotch grouper fish to Israel’s list of protected marine species. The amendment also added the dusky grouper fish to that list — but only temporarily, for a period of one year. This second amendment prohibits hunting of the dusky grouper by undersea hunting rifles. If any dusky groupers are caught by default in fishing nets and could no longer be returned alive to sea, they could be commercially sold.

A statement issued by the ministry said, “As predators, the Goldblotch grouper and the dusky grouper are two key species of high ecological importance, which maintain the ecological balance in the sea by regulating the population of fish they prey on.”

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